On the morning of Oct. 28, 1971, Egypt woke up to a shock: The Khedivial Royal Opera House was on fire. The 100-year-old, rococo-style architectural gem in downtown Cairo burned to ashes. Ballet costumes, theater sets, musical instruments and velvet curtains were all gone.

Now, 40 years later, the new Cairo Opera House is on fire. This time, the threat isn't faulty electric equipment but administrative decisions that Egyptian artists say are fatal to their rich cultural scene.

...the all-Balanchine program was a fitting reminder of the vision of former artistic director Christopher Stowell, whose dedication to building a polished neoclassical company included the addition of a burgeoning Balanchine repertoire.